Walled Lake, Oakland County
Chimney repair in Walled Lake
Walled Lake repairs split by age. The brick chimneys near the lake and on the 1950s streets need crowns and flashing. The framed chases on the 1980s and 1990s houses need new covers, and sometimes new wood under them.
Two kinds of chimney, two kinds of repair
Brick chimneys on the old cottages along East Walled Lake Drive and on the 1950s houses near Gamma Road have had seventy years or more of Michigan winters. On those, the leak usually starts at the flashing, the metal where the chimney meets the roof. Every re-roof is a chance for the flashing to be reused, bent or tarred over, and the photo shows what that looks like after a few seasons. The crown cracks next, then the mortar in the top courses.
The houses in Oak Grove, built in the 1980s, and in Chestnut Hills and Woodland Hills after that, often have a factory-built fireplace in a framed chase. There's no brick to repoint. What fails is the sheet metal cover on top. It rusts, it sags so water pools in the middle, and the water finds the seams. Once it gets inside the chase, it soaks the plywood and framing under the cover.
Starting prices
Your written quote gives the exact figure. Most Walled Lake repairs start in these ranges:
- Flashing repair or replacement: $595 to $3,495.
- Crown repair: from $1,000 plus $1 per square inch of crown.
- Stainless chase cover, one hole: from $1,000 plus $1 per square inch.
- Rotted wood frame under a chase cover: $895 to $2,349.
- Cap repair and re-seating: $195. A new single-flue cap is $375.
If the chimney is too tall or the roof too steep for a ladder to be safe, a lift or scaffolding adds $1,249.
Fixing the cause
A wet ceiling next to the fireplace sends most people to a roofer, and sometimes that's right. But we check the flashing, the crown, the cap and the chase cover on the same visit, so the money goes where the water is getting in. Our guide on whether to call a roofer or a chimney company covers how to tell.
How the quote works
We look at the whole chimney first, along with the spot you noticed. You see photos, hear what a smaller repair would and wouldn't fix, and get the price in writing. Nothing starts until you approve it. If you want us to look first, a chimney inspection in Walled Lake is $49.
Questions
There's black goop smeared around the bottom of my chimney. Is that a repair?
It's a patch. Someone has sealed a leak at the flashing with roofing cement, and it usually works for a season or two before it cracks and lets water back in. The right repair is flashing set into the mortar joints, called counter flashing, over step flashing woven into the shingles. We show you photos of yours before we quote.
How do I know if the wood under my chase cover is rotted?
Soft or bowed siding near the top of the chase, rust streaks running down it, or a chase cover that has sunk in the middle are the usual signs. We check the framing by hand when we're on the roof. If it's sound, we replace only the cover. If it's soft, the frame gets rebuilt first.
Chimney repair near Walled Lake
Chimney repair in Walled Lake
Pick a day and a 3-hour arrival window online. If you'd rather talk it through, call (248) 266-9991.